The present invention relates to a folding roof for a convertible vehicle.
From French application No. 98 05 971 of May 12, 1988, there is known a folding roof for a convertible vehicle which is shown in the appended FIGS. 1 and 2.
Said folding roof for a convertible vehicle comprises a front element 10 hinged at 11 to a rear element 12, the rear end 12b of which is hinged at 13 relative to the vehicle. The two elements 10, 12 can be stored in the vehicle boot 14 such that the front element 10 is folded over the rear element 12 linked through its hinge 13 relative to the vehicle.
The rear element 12 comprises a center element 15 which extends to the hinge 11 between the front element 10 and the rear element 12. This center element 15 is hinged in 19b relative to the rear element 12 and cooperates with means which, in the position of the roof where it is stored in the boot 14, maintains the center element 15 at a distance above the rear element 12.
The front element 10 is attached in an articulated manner at 17 to the end of a beam 18 arranged on each side of the vehicle, with its other end attached in an articulated manner at 19a to the vehicle. The beam 18 is adapted to maintain the front element 10 in a substantially horizontal position when the rear element 12 is pivoted towards the boot about its hinge 13.
The center element 15 is connected to a beam 17a through an arm 19 extending from this center element, the other end of beam 17a being hinged to the vehicle frame in 16. The arm 19 is arranged so as to allow the center element 15 to be pivoted about its hinge 19b in a direction opposite the pivoting direction of the rear element about hinge 13.
Each arm 19 has an end attached in an articulated manner at 20 to the beam 17a and an end 21 which is integral with the edge of the center element 15.
Each beam 17a has an end which is attached in an articulated manner at 20 to the arm 19 and another end hinged at 16 to the vehicle body.
The pivoting of the roof is controlled by an electric motor 22 driving, by means of two half-shafts 23 and a pinion 24, a pinion or toothed sector 25 integral with the rotation axis 13 of the roof rear element 12.
The pivoting movement of the roof can be balanced by means of a jack 26.
When the front, rear and center elements are in the closed position of the roof, it is appropriate to lock them together and relative to the vehicle body.
This locking problem is encountered in all models of folding hard top roofs, whatever the respective paths of the various movable roof elements constituting a folding hard top roof.
Similarly, when the roof is in its folded position within the rear boot of the vehicle, it is necessary to lock at least the rear roof element to a fixed portion within the boot.
The object of the present invention is to provide the above-mentioned locks by means of a centralized locking system, which is safe, efficient and of relatively low cost.
The present invention therefore aims at providing a folding roof for a convertible vehicle, comprising a front element and a rear element, said two elements being capable of being stored in the vehicle boot, and locks for locking together the front edge of the front element to the vehicle body, and the rear edge of the front element to the front edge of the rear element, said locks being actuated by control rods. According to this invention, the roof is characterized in that the control rods are rotating rods connected to a motor, the rotating rods and the locks being arranged such that the rotation of the motor causes the control rods to rotate simultaneously and the locks to be engaged when the roof covers the vehicle.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the vehicle boot includes a lock element cooperating with a lock element provided on the front edge of the rear element, for locking the latter when it is positioned in the vehicle boot.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description.